Auburn crash was a gusher

Thursday

Nov 15, 2012 at 11:00 AMNov 15, 2012 at 12:15 PM

By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

A Leominster man will be summoned to Worcester Central District Court on drunken driving charges after he allegedly hit a fire hydrant on Vine Street Tuesday, causing a massive loss of water, police said.

Officers got a report of the accident just before 6 a.m. Tuesday. They found the car had smashed into the fire hydrant, but no driver was in sight, Detective Sgt. Jeffrey Lourie said.Concerned the driver might be injured, officers began a search.

Officer James D. Ljunggren and his dog, Axel, scoured the area. Police officers found a man they believe to be the driver about a mile away, hiding behind a home on Bryn Mawr Avenue, the sergeant said.

They identified him as 20-year-old Timothy M. Weagle of Leominster. He had some injuries and was taken to a Worcester hospital.

After police investigating the crash issued a summons charging Mr. Weagle with driving under the influence of alcohol or .08 percent, leaving the scene of an accident causing property damage, negligent driving and other motor vehicle infractions.

Sgt. Lourie said the fire hydrant was badly damaged and severed below ground level. The town lost more than 580,000 gallons of water, he said.